Single transfer insert placement method and apparatus
An apparatus and method is provided for single transfer insert placement. The apparatus receives continuous web material and cuts a discrete section or pad from the web. The pad is then supported on a single transfer surface. The single transfer surface then may spin the supported pad to a desired angle and provide the pad to a receiving surface at a desired interval.
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This application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/070,879, filed 21 Feb. 2008, and entitled “Single Transfer Insert Placement Method and Apparatus,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/902,477, filed 21 Feb. 2007, and entitled “Single Transfer Insert Placement Method and Apparatus.”
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to a method and apparatus for receiving and cutting a continuous web, and transferring articles, or inserts, such as absorbent pads cut from the web in the manufacture of disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence control garments or female sanitary pads as they advance along a production line.
In the production and manufacture of disposable products such as sanitary napkins or pants-type diapers, it frequently becomes necessary to manufacture a component of the product in one orientation, and then to spin that component part to a predetermined angle, which is suitably oriented for use in another step in the production process. Various devices have been developed for this purpose and are known to those experienced in the industry. Examples of such apparatus are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,876, 4,880,102, and 5,025,910.
As mentioned above, a typical article or web to be reoriented by the apparatus of this invention is an absorbent pad. Past devices normally cut a received web to form the pad prior to placement on a transfer mechanism. Cutting the web to form the pad prior to placement on the transfer mechanism requires a separate step between the cutting process and transfer process. Therefore, it is desirable to have an apparatus for receiving a continuous web onto a transfer mechanism prior to cutting the web into discrete pads, cutting a section from the web thereby forming a pad, spinning the pad to a predetermined angle, and transferring the pad for placement on a receiving surface, thereby eliminating the requirement of a separate transfer step between the cutting and transferring step.
In addition to requiring spin, the web may be provided at one velocity and a pad may be cut from the web at a cut pitch. However, the cut pitch is likely a different spacing interval than the desired placement pitch on a receiving surface. In the case of a diaper, for example, the pad may be an absorbent insert to be placed on a fluid impervious chassis. Therefore, the web may be cut at a cut pitch, X, and the receiving pitch, or distance between consecutive chasses at the receiving surface may be represented as Y, where Y is comprised of a chassis trailing edge, an interval space, and a subsequent chassis leading edge. Therefore, it is desirable to compensate for the difference between the cut pitch, X, and the receive pitch, Y. Re-pitching is known in the art, but prior art device techniques tend to cause excessive wear on the devices due to the momentum changes that are required.
Hence, the art would benefit from an apparatus which is capable of receiving a continuous web at one velocity and cutting a section from the web at a first pitch to create a pad, which is transferred, oriented and properly spaced to a desired receiving pitch for placement on a receiving surface, while at the same time reducing wear on the devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONBriefly, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, provided are an apparatus and a method for receiving a continuous web, separating a section from the web thereby forming a pad, spinning the pad to a predetermined angle, and changing the spacing between neighboring pads while transferring the pad to a receiving surface.
An embodiment of a single transfer placement method according to the present invention includes the following steps:
-
- 1. Receiving a continuous web.
- 2. Cutting a discrete section from the continuous web, thereby forming a pad, wherein the pad is supported by a first surface; and
- 3. Transporting the pad on the first surface to a receiving surface.
Additionally the transporting step may incorporate the following steps:
-
- 1. Spinning the first surface to a predetermined angle; and
- 2. Changing the speed of the first surface.
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.
Turning now to the drawings,
Referring, in addition to
The puck support 303 is coupled to the puck wheel 305 by a primary pitch linkage 310 and a secondary pitch linkage 311. The primary pitch linkage 310 preferably includes three attachment points; a puck wheel anchor 313, a pitch cam follower anchor 315, and a secondary linkage anchor 317. The puck wheel anchor 313 couples the primary pitch linkage 310 to a predetermined location on the puck wheel 305. The puck wheel anchor 313 serves as a minor rotation axis about which the primary pitch linkage 310 rotates, thereby causing, in cooperation with the secondary pitch linkage 311, the associated puck 301 to change its position in relation to the major axis of rotation, the puck transfer axis 306. The pitch cam follower anchor 315 couples the primary pitch linkage 310 to a pitch cam follower 329. Finally, the secondary linkage anchor 317 couples the primary pitch linkage 310 to the secondary pitch linkage 311. The secondary pitch linkage 311 preferably provides a substantially linear link coupled near one end to the primary pitch linkage 310 and near the other end to the puck support 303.
To facilitate position modification of the pucks 301, the apparatus 1 also includes a cam plate 320 situated about the transfer axis 306. The cam plate 320 is preferably a stationary plate having at least two raceways therein or thereon, a spin cam race 321 and a pitch cam race 323. The spin cam race 321 is preferably provided around the outside edge of the cam plate 320. To achieve desired spin of the pucks 301, a spin cam follower 325, which is preferably a roller bearing, is in sliding or rolling communication with the spin cam race 321. A spin linkage 327 couples the puck 301 to the spin cam follower 325. While the spin cam race 321 is depicted as providing a ninety degree puck rotation, positioning of the spin cam race 321 is generally determined by the desired spin angle of the puck 301.
In addition to aiding puck spin, the cam plate 320 assists the pitch change, or altered circumferential puck spacing. The pitch change is accomplished by using the pitch cam follower 329, which is preferably a roller bearing, in sliding or rolling communication with the pitch cam race 323. Located preferably near a radial distal edge 308 of the puck wheel 305 is a pair of pitch rails 309, which allow controlled circumferential displacement of the pucks 301. The pitch rails 309 are preferably fastened to the puck wheel 305. The puck support 303 is provided with rail guides 318, which are slidably disposed on the pair of pitch rails 309.
The pitch cam race 323 is formed, preferably on a face of the cam plate 320, to effect a desired pitch change. Although different designs could be employed, where the pitch cam race 323 is situated further from the puck transfer axis 306, the velocity of the puck 301 will be higher than where the pitch cam race 323 is positioned nearer the transfer axis 306. As described in this preferred embodiment, the maximum pitch change, therefore, is generally determined by the shape of the pitch cam race 323 and the combined length from the primary pitch linkage 310 of the puck wheel anchor 313 to the secondary pitch linkage 311 end which is coupled to the puck support 303.
The cutter 5 is best described with reference to
As seen in
Although the terms “circumferential” and “rotation” are used to describe the transfer movement of the pucks 301, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to applications utilizing a circular motion. For instance, rather than be driven by a puck wheel 305 rotated by a motor 307, the pucks 301 may be coupled to a chain drive (not shown) or something similar. The travel path of the pucks 301 may then be defined by the shape of an employed cam plate 320 or by the path of any supporting pitch rails 309 used.
All of the components of the apparatus 1 are either generally well known in the art, such as the roller bearings preferred for the cam followers, or can readily be made of standard materials. For example, the knife blades 507 and anvil roll 501 may be made of well known materials such as common tool steels. The supporting and rotating structures, such as the puck supports 303, linkages, wheels, etc., may be made of suitable aluminum. The pucks 301 are formed from any desirable material, but a lightweight material is preferred, such as nylon.
The operation of the present apparatus 1 will be described next with reference to
During periods of acceleration and deceleration, the pucks 301 change position relative to the major axis of rotation, the puck transfer axis 306. This can best be seen by reference to
Besides rotation and spin of the pucks 301, the apparatus 1 may also change the circumferential spacing of the pucks 301a; thereby resulting in a placement pitch that is different from the pitch at which the web material 10 was cut. The eccentric nature of the puck wheel axis and the knife wheel axis 506 allows the puck 301a to drop away from the knife wheel 505, thereby providing greater angular movement ability than if a knife blade 507 remained between consecutive pucks 301. The ultimate circumferential spacing of the pucks 301 at the receiving surface 25 is a function of a desired placement pitch 27 and the speed at which the receiving surface 25 is traveling. In the preferred embodiment, the circumferential spacing is achieved by a desired pitch cam slot 323 configuration. Upon achieving desired circumferential spacing, the puck 301a arrives in a fifth position P5.
The puck 301a is shown in the fifth position P5 in
Finally, the puck 301a is shown in the eighth position P8 in
In addition to the first web surface 854, this embodiment 850 preferably includes a pair of end web surfaces 864, which may be slidably disposed upon a pair of rails 866. To effect the slide of the end web surface 864, in a generally up-and-out manner, a dish cam 868 may be provided between a desired puck support 303 and the puck 301. The dish cam 868 preferably includes at least one cam groove 870 having a changing radius. Thus, when the puck 301 is in the web receiving position 851, the end web surfaces 864 are in a first position, preferably nearer the puck body 852. As the puck 301 spins to the web placement position 853, an end web cam follower 872 that is placed in the cam groove 870 causes the end web surface 864 to slide along the rails 866 to a second position, preferably further from the puck body 852. The end web surfaces 864 are also preferably provided with a plurality of web vacuum holes 860 in fluid communication with an end web vacuum chamber 874. The end web vacuum chamber 274 is preferably in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber (not shown) in the puck body 852. Such fluid communication between the end web vacuum chamber 274 and puck body 852 vacuum chamber may be provided by one or more vacuum bellows 876.
During periods of acceleration and deceleration, the pucks 301 change position relative to the major axis of rotation, the puck transfer axis 306. This can best be seen by reference to
During periods of acceleration and deceleration, the pucks 301 change position relative to the major axis of rotation, the puck transfer axis 306. This can best be seen by reference to
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.
Claims
1. A method for processing a continuous web, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing an apparatus comprising: a transfer mechanism rotating at a first constant speed about a first axis, said transfer mechanism including a first plurality of web surfaces; and a cutter including a wheel comprising a second plurality of cutting surfaces, wherein said wheel is rotating about a second axis at a second constant speed;
- receiving a continuous web onto a first web surface of said first plurality of web surfaces of said transfer mechanism;
- using one of said cutting surfaces, cutting a discrete section from said continuous web, thereby forming a pad, wherein said pad is supported by said first web surface of said transfer mechanism;
- transporting said pad on said first web surface towards a receiving surface through a transfer path; and
- changing the speed of said first web surface along said transfer path,
- wherein said wheel is positioned substantially within said transfer path, and said second plurality of cutting surfaces is less in number than said first plurality of web surfaces.
2. A method according to claim 1, said receiving step comprising drawing a vacuum through said first web surface.
3. A method according to claim 1, said cutting step comprising cutting said continuous web at a cutting nip formed by a first cutter component situated at least substantially within said transfer path cooperating with a second cutter component situated at least substantially outside of said transfer path.
4. A method according to claim 1, said transporting step including the step of spinning said first surface to a predetermined angle.
5. A method according to claim 4, said spinning step comprising the step of imparting rotational force to a bearing shaft coupled to said first surface.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said transfer path is circular.
7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first axis is parallel to said second axis.
8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said first axis is positioned between said second axis and said receiving surface.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the second plurality equals the first plurality minus one.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jul 7, 2011
Date of Patent: Aug 5, 2014
Patent Publication Number: 20110265619
Assignee: Curt G. Joa, Inc. (Sheboygan Falls, WI)
Inventor: John A. McCabe (Sheboygan Falls, WI)
Primary Examiner: Omar Flores Sanchez
Application Number: 13/178,104
International Classification: B23D 25/12 (20060101); B65H 39/14 (20060101); B26D 1/42 (20060101); A61F 13/15 (20060101); B65H 35/08 (20060101); F16H 53/06 (20060101); B26D 7/01 (20060101);